HEARTS midfielder Harry Cochrane has praised the club's willingness to put faith in youngsters after signing a new deal in Gorgie.
The 16-year-old put pen to paper on a three-year contract extension at Tynecastle on Thursday after a breakthrough season in the Ladbrokes Premiership.
Cochrane, who will remain in Edinburgh until 2021, has made 18 league appearances for Craig Levein's side this term and scored in the 4-0 win over Celtic in December that ended the Hoops' unbeaten run.
Speaking to Hearts TV after committing his future to the club, the Scotland Under-17 internationalist described the Gorgie club as the best place in the country for aspiring young players to be.
“Obviously I’m delighted, just even to be offered a new contract," he said.
"It was a chance that I couldn’t knock back. I can’t wait to be here for another three years.
“I was just hoping to get another contract at the end of my three years. To get it now and to be where I am is just amazing. I still don’t believe it yet.
“For any young boy coming through in the academy they should be looking at Hearts and thinking ‘this is the best place to be in Scotland right now’.
“They’ve got such a great opportunity to play in the first team, they just need to keep working.
“It’s the same with ourselves; we’re not there yet. We still need to keep going and keep working, but this is a great place to promote youth players.”
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